Rail-joint.



No. 680,023. Patented Aug. 6, I90L- G. CONDIFF.

BAIL JOINT.

(Application aim in;- 2a,, 1901.

(Ho Modal.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

GRIFF CONDIFF, OF CONNELLSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 680,023, dated August6,1901. Application filed May 25, 1901. Serial No. 61,872. (no model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern: the rail and extending upwardly to the lowerBe it known that I, GRIFF CONDIFF, a citiportion of the tread thereof.zen of the United States of America, residing The reference-numeral 4indicates the chair at Oonnellsville, in the county of Fayette andcarrying integral fish-plates 5, said fish-plates 5 5 5 State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain being provided with partitions 6,which are new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, adapted to fit inthe slots 3 of the rails. Upon of which the following is aspecification, refthe outer face of one of the fish-plates 5 are erencebeing had therein to the accompanyformed enlarged portions Z, which aredeing drawings. signed to strengthen the fish-plates at their 60 Thisinvention relates to certain new and ends, in which is formed on theirinner face useful improvements in rail-joints, and more a wedge-shapedrecess 8, which wedge-shaped particularly to that class wherein the useof recess is adapted to receive the Wedge-lock 9, nuts and bolts isentirely dispensed with. having formed integral therewith an aper Theinvention has for its object the protured luglO to receive fasteningmeans, such 6 5 vision of 'novel means whereby two sections as a spike,that will permit the wedge-shaped of rails may be easily andconveniently joined lock to be securely fastened to the cross-tie 11.together by the use of a chair carrying inte- The reference numeral 12indicates gral fish-plates in connection with certain strengthening-ribsformed integral with the wedge-shaped locking means, to behereinafopposite fish plate 5 for the purpose of 20 ter described indetail. strengthening and resisting the strain that is The invention hasfor its further object to necessarily brought to bear against theoppoconstruct a rail-joint of the above-described site fish-plate 5.class that will be extremely simple, strong, The manner of connectingthe rails is as durable, and comparatively inexpensive to follows: Eachrail having a cut-away portion 25 manufacture; furthermore, one thatwill al- 2 and slot 3 will straddle the partitions 6 of low the rails tobe joined and taken apart the chair, and the wedge-lock is then drivenwhen desired. into the wedge-shaped recess at the ends of With the aboveand other objects in view the fish-plate, which will produce a wedgingthe invention consists in the novel combinaaction and securely hold andretain the rail 30 tion and arrangement of parts, to be hereinin itsproper position. A spike or other fasafter more fully described, andspecifically tening means is then applied to the apertured pointed outin the claims. I lug of the wedge-lock, which serves to fasten Indescribing the invention in detail referthe same securely in position tothe cross-tie. ence is had to the accompanying drawings, It may benecessary to use additional spikes, 3 5 forming a part of thisspecification, and as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, to engage whereinlike numerals of reference indicate the base of the rail. correspondingparts throughout the several The many advantages obtained by the useviews, in whichof my improved rail-joint will be readily ap- Figure l isa side elevation of two sections parent from the foregoing description,taken 0 0 of rails having my improved rail-joint atin connection withthe accompanying drawtached thereto. Fig. 2 is a similar view of ings.the other side of the rails. Fig. 3 is a per- It will be noted thatvarious changes may spective view of the wedge-shaped lock. Fig. be madein the details of construction with 4 is a perspective view of the chaircarrying out departing from the general spirit of my 5 5 integralfish-plates. Fig. 5 is a side elevation invention.

of the end of a rail which is shown partly Having fullydescribed myinvention, what broken away. I claimas new, and desire to secure byLetters In the drawings the reference-numeral 1 Patent, is-f indicatesthe rails, having a portion of the 1. In combination with rails having apor- I00 50 base of the rail removed, as shown at 2. tion of their basecut away and a vertical slot 3 indicates a vertical slot cut in the webof formed near the ends of said rails, a chair and avertical slot formedin the web,'a chair carrying integral fish plates, partitions arrangedbetween said fish-plates engaging said slots of the rails, awedge-shaped lock secured in the ends of said fish-plates, and afasteninglug formed integral with said wedge-shaped lock, all partsbeing arranged and operating substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

GRIFF OONDIFF. Witnesses:

H. ,O. EyER'r, JOHN NoLAND.

